The Alien franchise is probably one of the top four or five sci-fi brands out there. From its dynamite first two installments, to its saturation into all other facets of popular culture, it’s one of those franchises that when anything new is released, we take notice. And Alien: Romulus, the new film from director Fede Alvarez, is all that and more.
The film is set between the events of Ridley Scott’s Alien and James Cameron’s Aliens, which leaves about six decades of space to fill. But, do you need to rewatch those films to understand everything? And what about the two other direct sequels, two more modern prequels, and those Versus movies?
Well, we’ve got good news and better news. The good news is, to fully enjoy everything about Alien: Romulus you don’t need to do any homework. It was built just to be a cool movie with a simple story accessible to anyone. The better news, though, is if you do watch basically any of the other Alien films, you’ll find things to enjoy and appreciate on a whole other level.
Of course, the most crucial installment is the original film. That’s the only one Romulus has some direct connections to. Connections we won’t spoil here. So if you only have time to watch one, that’s the one. Beyond that, any other film you watch—Aliens, Alien 3, Alien Resurrection, Prometheus, Alien: Covenant—won’t tie in directly, but will remind you of flavors Alvaraz sprinkles across the movie. So, for example, if you just watched Alien Resurrection (as I did)—well, let’s just say there were a few moments where I pointed at the screen excitedly like the Rick Dalton Once Upon a Time in Hollywood meme. And that goes for pretty much all of the other movies too. The 1979 original has direct links and everything else is a color on a palette Alvarez uses to paint his picture.
But also, let’s be honest here. Any day is made better by rewatching Alien or Aliens. And your day will definitely be made better later this week when you see Alien: Romulus. It’s in theaters Friday.
Want more io9 news? Check out when to expect the latest Marvel, Star Wars, and Star Trek releases, what’s next for the DC Universe on film and TV, and everything you need to know about the future of Doctor Who.
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